Article removal signal means for filing drawer



TRANS/ranma? J. M. MOON Filed May l, 1953 ARTICLE REMOVAL SIGNAL MEANS FOR FILING DRAWER SL/G/VAL May 17, 1955 IN V EN TOR. wies n. zoo/ v Train/EY United States Patent O ARTICLE REMOVAL SIGNAL MEANS FOR FILING DRAWER James M. Moon, Graham, N. C. Application May 1, 1953, Serial No. 352,336

4 Claims. (Cl. 340-280) This invention relates to improvements in card filing drawers such as are found in practically all business ofces, the principal object of the present invention being to provide a drawer, which may form part of a ling system, which is equipped with electrical signalling means for indicating when a card has been removed from the file or when a card has been misled.

Another important object of the invention is to provide in a ling system, an arrangement of contact partitions between which cards are filed, to the end that when an interposed casd has been removed, electrical contact will be made in an electrical signalling circuit for the purpose of signalling to persons on the outside of the particular le case, the absence of a card in that particular location.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved tiling system for indicating the misplacernent or absence of cards in a tiling system, to the end that investigation or correction can take place immediately.

These and various other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following description.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a le drawer with a portion broken away to show tile cards and the contact partitions.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view through the drawer, showing an elevation of the partitions.

Figure 3 is a cross section through the drawer showing an opposed partition to that partition shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view showing in edge elevation, tile cards and partitions.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing certain file cards and partitions, but with one le card removed and the partitions in electrical contact.

Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that numeral generally refers to a tile drawer having sidewalls 11, 12 and a bottom wall 13, preferably having a top plate 14 of insulation. The drawer has a front wall 15 and a rear wall 16.

In carrying out the present invention, a pair of busbars 17, 18 are disposed longitudinally within the lower portion of the drawer 10 and at opposite sides thereof. In carrying out the present invention, spaces or partitions, shorter than file cards 19 are employed in the drawer 10 and are denoted by numerals 20, 21.

The partitions 20 each has a metallic foil sheet for contact 22 lapped over a portion of its upper edge and from this extends a conductor wire 23 to the busbar 18, as is clearly shown in Figures l and 3. The conductors 23 can be held against the corresponding partitions 20 by adhesive tape or some other suitable means 24.

The complemental partitions 21 likewise have metallic foil strips 25 lapped over the upper portions thereof and conductors 26 extend from these contacts 25 to the busbar 17 and suitable adhesive tape or the like 27 can ice be used for holding the conductors 26 snugly against the corresponding partitions 21.

Preferably on the front wall 15 of the drawer 10 is mounted a lamp box 28 having a bulb or signal lamp 29 disposed therein. One side of the socket 28 is connected to the busbar 17 by jumper 30. The other side of the socket 28 is connected by a jumper 31 in any suitable manner to the secondary of a step-down transformer 32.

The transformer 32 can be mounted on the rear wall 16 of the drawer 10 if desired. Wires 33 extend from an unshown source of current, such as a commercial supply line, to the primary of the transformer 32. The other wire of the secondary of the transformer and denoted by f numeral 34 connects with the remaining busbar 18, or

as shown in Figure l.

In the use and operation of this drawer which may form part of a system whereby a signal will be given if a card is removed from any one of a number of drawers, it can be seen that the file card 19 serves as insulating seperators for the contact partitions 20, 21. A study of Figure l should first be made and then reference made to Figures 4 and 5. In Figure 4, it can be seen that there are 3 le cards, one located between a pair of partitions 20, 21. As shown in Figure 5, the middle card 19 (see Figure 4) has been removed and the contacts 22, 25 of the partitions 20, 21 have engaged. Thus current is flowing from the secondary of the transformer 32 by way of the wires 34 to the busbar 18 and from there by way of the wire 23 to the contact 22 of the partition 20 and across to the contact 25 and from there by way of the conductor 26 to the busbar 17. The jumper 30 conveys the current to the socket 28 and return is made to the secondary of the transformer 32 by way of the jumper 31. In this way the signal lamp 29 is energized and remains so energized until the contacts 22, 25 (see Figure 5) are again separated and usually by the reinsertion of a file card 19.

While the foregoing description sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that nurncrous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as t new is:

1. In a filing system, including tile cards serving as insulators, movable and slanting separators for said cards, said separators being provided with contacts, adjacent contacts being adapted to contact when an interposed lile card is removed and an electrical signalling circuit including said contacts in its circuit.

2. In a filing system, including file cards serving as insulators, movable and slanting separators for said cards, said seperators being provided with contacts, adjacent contacts being adapted to Contact when an interposed file card is removed and an electrical signalling circuit including said contacts in its circuit, said separators being in the form of partitions, said contacts being located at the upper edges thereof and overlapping each side portion of the corresponding partition.

3. In a tiling system, including le cards serving as insulators, movable and slanting separators for said cards, said separators being provided with contacts, adjacent contacts being adapted to contact when an interposed file card is removed and an electrical signalling circuit including said contacts in its circuit, said separators being in the form of partitions, said contacts being located at the upper edges thereof and overlapping each side portion of the corresponding partition, said circuit including a pair of busbars with electrical connectors between said busbars and alternate contacts.

4. In a filing system including tile cards serving as 3 ins111atQrs; nlm/able Yand slanting metallic partitionsV be- References Cited in the le of this patent tweenthe cards, an electrical signalling circuit, alternate UNITED STATES PATENTS mvable and sla'iiting nitallic partition cards beingni i v nected to the same side of the signalling circuit so that 460019 Kruschke Sept' 22 1891 when a. card iswithlrawn, a pair of partitions will con- 5 1623950 Sargent APT' 5 1927 tact and close said signalling circuit. 

